The National tribune., 1887-03-03
A FIELD DAY.
fContinued from ed maze.

bill is this II is mistake to call this measure bill
for a service pension. This is in any sense
a service pension. IL is proposition to assist by
pension the needy, disabled soldiers of the Grand
Army, and incidentally to take out of the poor
houses and aImshouses of the country 1500O Of the
brave men who fought to the Union. This is
a bill which simply changes the rule of evidence in
regard to the questions which arise upon the appli
cation for pension in the Bureau of Pensions IL
simply provides that the disabled soldier, one who
served in the army and was honorably discharged
and who is suffering under disability. shall
have applied TO him new rule Of evidence, differ
ing from the current orders and rules Of the PEN
sion Department.
II provides that when il Is made Go appear that
soldier of the army served the length of time re-
quired and was honorably discharged and is suf-
fering under disability which disables him from
aboring to support himself, that when these facts
appear, when these facts not debated or con-
tradicted it shall be eonelusvely presumed for the
purpose of the honor Of the Government, and for
the purpose of saving the disgrace and stigma
which rests upon the Government which permits
its defenders TO lie in the poorhouses of the country
that his disability caused by the service he did
in the army. That is all there il of il, and that
afIixes TO this bill character not that of service
pension, but a pension for honorable service
suffering, and inability to work.
ID is not all that 1 should ask had the right to
dictate. but NJ better than nothing, ana, cOupleu
with the provisions of the first section to pension
dependent parents by new rule Also the bill ought
to pass.
MR.. BURROWS, OF MICHIGAN:
Mr. Speaker, when the House Committee on In
valid Pensions presented its mastery reply to the
message of the President vetoing the Dependent
Pension Bill the argument was concluded. What
ever of reason that message contains and whatever
of sOphistry finds in that report its complete answer
| and its exposure. The bill therefore. comes back
! TO us not only with all its original merit, but
| strengthened by the approving Judgment of both
Houses of Congress- the earnest reimbursement of
| the committee representing the majority of this
| House. its chosen organ, and the commentator OF
a just public sentiment. In this connection de
sire present concurrent resolution of the Legis
lature of the State of Michigan indoTsing this BILL
| and I will ask the Clerk to read il; but before he
reads 1 desire simply TO say that only duty, it
| seems To me is To pass this measure at once and
lift the shadow from the breaking hearts of the men
and women who sacrificed all and suffered all that
| the Republic might live. LApplause.l
MR.. MORRILL,, OF KANSAS:
Mr. Speaker the veto Of the President of the bill
now before the House has, fairly considered, a
deeper significance. and threatens more far-reaeh-
| ing consequences than would attach to the mere
failure of this measure to become a law. The veto
has been construed by the country into deela-
ration on the part OF this administration that the
Executive approval will be hereafter withheld
from all measures of general character involving
a charge upon the Treasury which may be passed
in response to the claims of those who answered 10
the call of their country in its hour of peril. In
effect it stgmatizes such claims unjust and un-
reasonable, and places questions of taxation and
fiscal policy above the demands of national justice
and gratitude and the promptings of common hu
manity.
If the expenditures Of our pension system b.
vast beyond precedent it must be remembered alsC
that the circumstances which rendered them neces
sary also without precedent In point o
numbers engaged in the late struggle, in respect
the bloody and desperate character of its conflicts
the expenditure of money and the sacrifice of pre-
eious lives well as in respect of the wicked ant
unjustifiable causes which preeipitated it, it i
without parallel in the worlds history.
' Measured by what was accomplished at all thi
r cost and sacrifice our expenditures for pensions
r colossal as they are, seem insignificant. Tn
weight of the Governments obligations to its sol
dierS Is not to be estimated by any known stan
dard of computation. The terms of its eontrac
4 and the exact scope OF the measures adopted 70
its fulfillment are clearly defnable but who Gu
. estimate the value of the equivalent rendered?
The salvation of an imperiled nationality, the re
: establishment Of the Union upon a secure and i'm
4 perishable foundation. the overthrow of system
| obnoxious TO free Government and repugnant Il
civilization. the recovered prosperity of the Natio
e in all its parts, the planting of the seeds of goo
; will and harmony between the different sections
A the gradual but sure growth of which gives prom
= Use of fGll fruitage in the near future; these al
u some of the achievements blazoned upon the bar
= ners of the victors in our great struggle. Who
= skilled in mathematics to be able TO tell Oh
value of all this in dollars aud cents?
= In the provisions made for our diseased and dl
> abled soldiers, and for the support and solace
e the survivors of the dead, this Government ha
i illustrated in the highest degree the benefcence
a free institutions, and has signay proved that til
= Republic, at least. is not ungrateful.
y In the generations to come history will preseI
l. nobler spectacle than that OF great Nation Iu
d emerging from gigantic conflict which had ser
= Ousiy Threatened its overthrow. taxed its
!" to an extreme. drained its best blood. and mac
fresh burdens beyond the reach of precise estiat
aud voluntarily, eheerfully and loyalty addressn
- itself to the binding up OF the wounds received
- its service.
rs No public burden could be more cheerfully borr
le than that which this pension system imposes. I'll
n | sporadic and feeble mutteringS of discomfort al
:, lost in the general chorus of appreciation wit
u which every Just and humane proposition in Il
IN interest of the Union soldier is greeted.
is The masses of the people are quite ready to pr
vide, not only for the discharge of every specii
and welldefined obligation by the Government
d. but also in the interest of national justice, to
IN tend its shelter to those wOrnOut veterans incap
). BILE Of selfsupport, who would otherwise be left
" the precarous provisions of private charity Il
ly humiIating conditions of organized local supper
ne Neither the cold distractions OF professed econ
10 msts the plants of political pessimists
be weighed against the loftier and more patriot
X impulses of the great body of the people.
he Did il ever occur to those anxious souls who q
te troubled lest some poor soldier should reeei
10 pittance from the Governments To which he is n
!, entitled that for every dollar thus wrongfuly pa
IL the Government has deprived brave men who a
lastly entitled To compensation for their services
IN times as much through the neglect and inefcien
"a of its chosen agents in keeping proper records
the military service of these men and of the ii
~ abilities they received?
ey In many cases the hospital records were imps
no feety kept. In many others no records were mad
o. 1 at any rate none were preserved. In thousan
| Of cases many of them serious disabilities there
M utter absence Of any company hOsital reeOl
lat Through this means alone thousands of wort
q | claimants have been denied the relief to viii
~ their patriotic services justly entitle them.
nj saFFfff of txrn,t
~ are essential: First. that there should be bra
zee men fight the battles; and, secondly, that the
of | should be money to supply the munitions of W
and to support the armies. The patriotic Hberi
loving men of the North who responded prompt
To every call for troops supplied the one. Il
treasures were freely opened, and the other "
furnished with unstinted hand.
Those who from their hard earned savings 81
de piled the necessary means have been fully repa
Nh The war of the rebellion entaied upon the count
of "a debt of near 5000. 100000 and n destruction
of property To "a still greater amount, and yet an
as all the depressions of business that necessarily
nd lowed as a result of that war, the GOveTnmt
ms failed for single hour to meet interest ~
became due upon this vast Indebtedness, anu OIL
nh half of the principal has already been paid.
ed men who supplied the Government with money
: carry on the made sacrifices. They receiy
TIe it back with full compensation for it, use.
~ The ability OF the country to pay the amount
~ CURED by this act ten times much, is beyO
IN / question With ~ population twice rs large as
\ was at the close of the war, with nearly four tin
a the wealth, the entire amount now required to y
the interest our public debt and the pension
'n combined Is less than the interest account was
=, the close of the war
'aS / do not hold for a moment that the ElvOra
condition of the finances OF the country afford
re- warrant for the payment of i-eonsidered hount
or questionable claims, but IL does warrant
", Nation in being Just To the extent of paying
Der honest obligation.